October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and this month at AdventureWomen, we are honoring and recognizing all those amazing women out there that are currently fighting breast cancer as well as all those who have succumbed to this disease (including our beloved Susan Eckert) but who continue to live in our hearts and minds.
AdventureWomen will donate 5% of profits from the month of October to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Susan Eckert getting kissed by two elephants in Thailand.
Here is the latest news on the breast cancer front which we hope you will benefit from:
Did You Know?
- Nearly 1.7 million women around the globe were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 and the incidence rate of breast cancer is rising internationally but is stable in the U.S.
- Almost one in eight U.S. women (about 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime.
- Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the U.S. and the most common cancer in women worldwide.
- This disease is the leading cause of cancer related deaths in women in developing countries.
- In 2017, it’s estimated that among U.S. women there will be 252,710 new cases of invasive breast cancer (excludes recurrences of original breast cancers) and 63,410 new cases of in situ breast cancer (This includes ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) at 83% and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). DCIS is a non-invasive breast cancer and LCIS is a condition that increases the risk of invasive breast cancer.
- There has been a 38 percent decline in breast cancer deaths in the U.S. from 1989 to 2014 due to advancements in breast cancer screening (early detection by mammography) and improvements in treatment.
Age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population. Source: SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2014, 2017
What is your risk? How do you lower it?
There are no ways to prevent breast cancer, but there are ways to lower your risk. Factors associated with breast cancer, such as being a woman, your age, and your genetics cannot be changed. However, factors like lack of exercise, being overweight, high stress, and smoking cigarettes, can be changed by making better choices. You can make sure your breast cancer risk is as low as possible by choosing the healthiest lifestyle options possible.
Here are 5 quick tips on lifestyle choices that will lower your risk of breast cancer that you can start today!
- Exercise regularly at a moderate or intense level for 4-7 hours per week. Read here to learn more.
- Maintaining a healthy weight defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of lower than 25.
- Avoid exposure to chemicals such as, pesticides, antibiotics, and hormones found in crops and livestock.
- Diet is at least partly responsible for about 30%-40% of all cancers. No food can prevent you from getting breast cancer, but some foods can help you be the healthiest you can be, boost your immune system, and help keep your risk for breast cancer as low as possible.
- Avoid alcohol if possible or keep your intake to an average of no more than one drink per day.
The founder of AdventureWomen, Susan Eckert, a creative and courageous trail blazer who devoted her life to sharing her love of travel with other women, died last May after battling breast cancer for many years. Susan was a fearless crusader, breaking barriers and tirelessly pursuing her passions. She truly lived according to the saying she ended every email with, “Life isn’t measured in how many breaths you take, but in the moments that take your breath away.”
In honor of Susan and all the courageous women diagnosed with and impacted by breast cancer, we want to encourage more research into solutions which reduce the incidence of this disease and improve treatment modalities. We hope our donations of 5% of our profits from all trips purchased in the month of October will help move the needle forward in the fight against this terrible disease.
Why the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF)?
- BCRF is the highest rated breast cancer organization in the U.S. and the largest private funder of breast cancer research worldwide.
- The Breast Cancer Research Foundation believes research has the power to bring an end to cancer. BCRF is funding 275 researchers across 15 countries and 6 continents. These investments support research in prevention, screening and early detection, inherited susceptibility, and developing new treatments.
- “For every dollar spent, 91 cents is directly committed to research programs surrounding this disease.”
- According to Charity Navigator, BCRF’s accountability and transparency score as well as financial score rate in the top tier of charities with 4 out of 4 stars and an A+ rating from Charity Watch.
For signs, symptoms, and to find out exactly what we all need to know about breast cancer, see this article featuring BCRF’s Margaret Flowers, PhD. Director, Scientific Communications and Grants at the BCRF.
Read more stories on Instagram using the hashtag #WhyResearch
